If you are only familiar with Jack Bruce’s legendary work with Cream, you are missing out on a critical part of Rock and Roll history. Now, that legacy is in the spotlight with the release of Jack Bruce and Friends: Live From The Bottom Line, available now at all physical and digital retailers. The release is distributed exclusively by BFD through RED distribution. The two disc set, taken from a March 19, 1980 show is the first album released since Bruce’s passing in October 2014.
Growing up in Scotland, Bruce honed his skills in acts such as Graham Bond Organization, Dick Heckstall-Smith’s bands, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, Alexis Korner, and Manfred Mann’s Earth Band. In 1966, Bruce, along with Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker, formed the classic group Cream. Though they were only together for a short time, the music the trio made together made a definite mark on the musical landscape, earning them induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. After the group disbanded, Bruce released the first of fourteen solo records, 1969’s Songs For A Tailor.
Bruce also recorded with Lou Reed, The Tony Williams Lifetime, and Frank Zappa. This historic Bottom Line performance captures his unique solo take on many of Cream’s classics, as well as his own catalog. And, the band is just as legendary, featuring Mahavishnu drummer Billy Cobham, and original East Street Band keyboardist/guitarist David Sancious (both already had brilliant solo careers), with none other than Clem Clempson, fresh from Colosseum and Humble Pie, on lead guitar.
